great-nephew

American

[greyt-nef-yoo, -nev-yoo] / ˈgreɪtˌnɛf yu, -ˌnɛv yu /

noun

a son of one's nephew or niece; grandnephew.

great-nephew British

noun

a son of one's nephew or niece; grandson of one's brother or sister

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of great-nephew

First recorded in 1575–85

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

A new cast of Castros is emerging in Cuba: a grandson and a great-nephew are moving up the corridors of power, while another is an eccentric Instagram influencer declaring that Cubans want capitalism.

From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026

Last week Cuban Deputy Prime Minister Oscar Pérez-Oliva Fraga, a great-nephew of Mr. Castro, announced Cuba is opening to investment from exiles.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 22, 2026

It was a humbling moment, his great-nephew David Snowdon told the BBC, to see hundreds of people turn out to pay their respects.

From BBC • Sep. 20, 2024

Rodrigo Basilicati Cardin, the late designer's great-nephew, told reporters the new collection was based on the colour blue, inspired by the ocean and dedicated to the protection of the planet.

From Reuters • Sep. 25, 2023

Instead, Caesar left his estate to Octavian, his great-nephew whom he renamed as his adopted son.

From "Sterling Biographies®: Cleopatra: Egypt's Last and Greatest Queen" by Susan Blackaby

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023